The drake tried, but the more it struggled, the faster the ice spread.
Joren could only watch. For a second, it looked like he wanted to say something but nothing came out.
"Seris wins," the instructor announced.
Seris turned and walked off the stage without a word.
The crowd murmured. A few people clapped, hesitant at first, then steadier.
Aiden exhaled slowly. He hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath.
Before he could process what he'd just watched, the instructor's voice cut through the murmurs.
"Aiden Hale. Step forward."
Laughter rippled through the stands. Then the whispers started.
"What's *he* gonna do?"
"Should just forfeit now and save himself the embarrassment."
"I actually feel bad for the guy at this point."
"Bad? He brought this on himself."
Aiden's chest tightened. He forced his legs to move, stepping toward the center of the arena. The dirt crunched under his boots and his hands felt cold.
He glanced to the side. Seris was still standing at the edge. She caught his eye and gave him a thumbs-up, mouthing something he couldn't make out.
He turned back.
His opponent was already waiting.
The boy was average height, lean, with short brown hair and a cocky tilt to his chin. Aiden recognized him from class. Decent fighter with solid instincts. And he had an A-rank summon—the Bloodfang Dire Wolf.
The boy crossed his arms. "You can give up now, Aiden. I don't want to humiliate you any more than you already have been."
Aiden didn't respond. His mind was somewhere else.
*Should I just forfeit?*
The thought had been there since his name was called. It would've been easier, smarter, maybe.
But he was already here.
*Just take the loss and move on. Nothing they say matters anymore.*
He closed his eyes for a second, thinking back to the summoning ceremony. The contract core. The figure he'd seen—the one he hadn't reached. And then the child with wings that had appeared on his shoulder instead.
He still didn't understand it. Didn't know what kind of creature it even was.
*What do I call it?*
The word came to him without much thought.
*Lumi.*
Small, light, harmless-looking.
*Yeah. That fits.*
He opened his eyes. "Lumi. Come forth."
The air shimmered beside him. Then she appeared—small, maybe waist-high, with pale gray wings folded against her back. She was holding his hand. A lollipop stuck out of her mouth.
The arena exploded with laughter.
"Is that a *kid?*"
"Oh my god, he actually summoned her."
"Her mom's gonna kill you if she finds out you put her daughter in a fight!"
More laughter, louder this time.
Aiden's face burned and he clenched his jaw. He stared at the ground, trying to block it all out.
His opponent chuckled, shaking his head. "My, my. Well, since you've summoned your beast, I guess I have no choice." He smirked. "Just don't say I didn't warn you when this is over."
Aiden said nothing.
The boy raised his hand. "Bloodfang. Come."
The wolf materialized behind him. A huge, dark-furred beast, with eyes like molten amber. Its fangs were long, stained red at the tips. Muscle rippled beneath its pelt as it shifted its weight, claws digging into the dirt.
Aiden stared at it.
*So that's the Bloodfang Dire Wolf.*
He'd never faced one before. Not up close.
His opponent grinned. "Let's not waste time. I wouldn't want to damage your summon too badly before you two had a chance to bond." He tilted his head. "So I'll just take an arm."
He snapped his fingers.
The wolf vanished.
Aiden's eyes went wide. *Where—*
He didn't see it move, didn't hear it. He Just felt the shift in the air behind him.
He spun around.
Too late.
The wolf pounced.
The impact shook the ground. Dust exploded outward in a thick cloud, swallowing the center of the arena. Aiden stumbled back, coughing, eyes stinging.
He couldn't see anything.
The murmurs started immediately.
"No way his summon survived that."
"He's done."
"What a fool. Should've just forfeited."
The dust began to settle. Slowly. The air cleared in patches, revealing shapes and shadows.
Then the crowd went silent.
The Bloodfang Dire Wolf lay on the ground, motionless. Its jaw was bent at an unnatural angle, cracked and twisted. Blood dripped from its muzzle.
And standing on top of it, one small foot pressed against its ribs, was Lumi.
She was still holding Aiden's hand. The lollipop was still in her mouth.
Aiden stared.
*What—*
The instructor hesitated, eyes wide. Then he cleared his throat. "Winner. Aiden Hale."
Noise erupted from the stands.
"What just happened?"
"Did anyone see that?"
"How did—there's no way—"
"A *C-rank* just took down an A-rank?"
"I didn't see anything. Did you see anything?"
Aiden looked down at Lumi. She tilted her head slightly, blinking up at him.
He hadn't seen it either. The dust had been too thick. One moment the wolf was coming at them and the next, it was on the ground.
He glanced across the arena.
His opponent stood frozen, staring at his fallen summon. His mouth was open, but no sound came out. His hands hung limp at his sides.
Aiden swallowed. "Lumi. Return."
She vanished in a soft shimmer of light.
He turned and walked off the stage without looking back.
The arena was silent. Not like when Seris had won. This wasn't awe or respect.
It was disbelief.